Wildland fire season begins in Virginia Saturday, October 15th. Fall fire season runs through November 30th.
Officials with the Virginia Department of Forestry say Virginians need to be careful with outdoor fires, especially during the fall and spring when the risk of a fire escaping is greatest.
Through October 7th, there have been 796 wildland fires in Virginia this year that have burned more than 11,000 acres of privately owned land.
VDOF records indicate that humans cause more than 95 percent of wildland fires – the bulk of which are preventable.
Forestry officials say citizens need to take safety precautions to prevent a debris burn, campfire or hot ashes from a woodstove or fireplace from escaping and becoming a wildland fire. They say motorists should also avoid parking their vehicles in piles of dry leaves.
